The Asheville metro jobless rate rose from 6.9 percent in May to 7.1 percent in June. Buncombe?s unemployment rate also rose from 6.8 percent to 7.1 percent for the month.

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While the local economy made up ground with lost jobs, workers are earning on average far less than five years ago.

With 3.8 percent job growth, the Asheville area continued to outpace other urban centers across North Carolina with the state's lowest unemployment in June and the fastest growing economy since January.

But even while adding more jobs, the four-county area of Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood and Madison counties saw an increase in unemployment as previously discouraged job seekers rejoined the market, according to data released Tuesday by the N.C. Department of Commerce. ...